DocHawkeye wrote:Now that I re-read the email, I'm less convinced that I've been admitted to Drake. It never actually makes that claim so now I'm just confused. I guess I'll wait for a hard copy admission letter.

You might be right. Either way, if I'm not admitted I'll be shocked... And if they don't offer a full ride, they are completely out of consideration. Sorry, Drake.

evilxs wrote:The first line says congrats on your admission to law school. Don't sell yourselves short, you are definitely admitted.

I contacted admissions and asked them to clarify the meaning of the email. Kelli Carter confirmed that, if you recieved the email, you had been admitted and that packets were mailed yesterday. The email was sent, as I suspected, prematurely. I guess that clears that up.

evilxs wrote:If you apply early, as with all law schools, there is more funds available for them to offer. They do take a really long time to get back to folks, but it was worth the wait in my case.

I chose to go because I am going to stay in Des Moines Iowa permanently to practice and they dominate this town. 2nd reason is $$$$$, 3rd because I plan on practicing law, not teaching. Iowa is a more theoretical school than Drake. Drake will better prepare you for litigating.

I visited both and it is important to do that.

I pm'd you as well.

Are you a 1L? I'm pretty sure the answer is yes.

Next question:

What qualifies you to make statements like "Iowa is a more theoretical school than Drake. Drake will better prepare you for litigating?"

What do you know about job prospects, and what do you base it on? Have you been through oci? Applied for and gotten any kind of job? Have you spoken to 2 and 3L's about their job search? (To be fair, it looks like from your profile and comments you'll be pursuing private practice after school. That said, you do understand there is a difference between the answer to a question about job prospects for a person who plans to go solo v. a person who doesnt?)

evilxs wrote:If you apply early, as with all law schools, there is more funds available for them to offer. They do take a really long time to get back to folks, but it was worth the wait in my case.

I chose to go because I am going to stay in Des Moines Iowa permanently to practice and they dominate this town. 2nd reason is $$$$$, 3rd because I plan on practicing law, not teaching. Iowa is a more theoretical school than Drake. Drake will better prepare you for litigating.

I visited both and it is important to do that.

I pm'd you as well.

Are you a 1L? I'm pretty sure the answer is yes.

Next question:

What qualifies you to make statements like "Iowa is a more theoretical school than Drake. Drake will better prepare you for litigating?"

What do you know about job prospects, and what do you base it on? Have you been through oci? Applied for and gotten any kind of job? Have you spoken to 2 and 3L's about their job search? (To be fair, it looks like from your profile and comments you'll be pursuing private practice after school. That said, you do understand there is a difference between the answer to a question about job prospects for a person who plans to go solo v. a person who doesnt?)

I would be happy to qualify my statements. I was accepted to both schools and have no lack of love for Iowa. I literally cried over deciding, I am a girl and I have no fear admitting that. It was a tough decision and I have no regrets. Now to your questions:

"What qualifies you to make statements like "Iowa is a more theoretical school than Drake. Drake will better prepare you for litigating?""

The schools themselves have programs that lean more one way or the other but the first person who pointed out that difference to me was a justice who currently sits on the Iowa supreme court. While deciding my course of action I took advantage of every opportunity possible to learn about the differences between the only 2 schools in Iowa and what would be a better fit for me. One of those opportunities was a supreme court dinner for "admitted students". I asked judges which school they went to and why and what they thought of the other school. A lawyer here in Des Moines finished helping re-write a good chunk of the child support laws they just put into effect. He is an old family friend and I asked him what he thought of the two schools and who would he hire from and why?

Every person I talked to said if you ever, EVER want to be an academic do not go to Drake. It is hard enough to get a spot teaching law, you at least need your degree from a school that better prepares you and puts you at least in a competitive position for those types of jobs. I spoke to 2L's and 3L's from this message board from Iowa. The job availability in Iowa city, a small college town, is extremely competitive. If you want to practice law in Des Moines, Iowa go to Drake. You can work for the firms all school year long locally, instead of just during breaks.

I do actually have an job offer already, and more apps out waiting on grades which I am very excited about. The judges, the lawyers, and the firms love both Drake and Iowa grads. It comes down to grades, personality, etc. This is one of those localized markets unlike most regions of the country. I spoke to both of the largest firms here in Des Moines and they both have partners and tons of lawyers from both schools. They are more interested in academic excellence than which of the two law schools you went to in the state.

That is directly from the horses mouth. All of my 2L and 3L friends are employed locally. Every single one of them. And in legal jobs, not volunteer non-legal work. I only know one of them that is not being paid. The midwest did not get hit by the economic slump like other places did and we are not like some parts of the country that has 3-5 law schools within a 100 mile radius. Lets face it this is Iowa, not exactly a vacation destination. The pay is lower than Chicago, Boston, New York, but we have jobs. Starting salary for one of the 1L positions open locally was over 2k a week. You wont go big here but you won't be broke neither.

Private practice I am 100% not qualified to answer. I haven't got a clue. I spoke to a few lawyers with private practices locally and I always felt like they were working insane hours to keep things going and doing a variety of work. While the focus might be hey I am a wills and estates guy, chances are he does bankruptcies, adoptions, family law, real estate stuff, etc on the side. I always knew I was never interested in doing private practice

Public service work here I can answer even though you didnt ask. Iowa legal aid hires a couple of 1Ls when they have the budget, there is something open right now. Most of the rest of the jobs 1L are not paid. I have a friend working for civil rights commission over winter break as a 1L. 2L and 3L year getting paid jobs is a lot easier but not garunteed. No public work ever is it is all with the caveat as the budget allows

Judicial internships, clerkships, etc. Geez we are in the capital. There is a lot of opportunity here. One of the judges I spoke to operates out in the sticks and he told me he only had 1 person apply last year, so they got the gig. Iowa is just a whole different ball of wax than other states that are over-flowing with law students.

I am really happy to help anyone out when thinking about this state. It was a 1000 mile move that brought me here. Iowa is your logical choice if you ever plan on practicing out of the state of Iowa. If you plan on sticking around permanently then you really do have 2 choices.

Admitted with scholarship (renewable if in top third). I applied to schools all over the country, mostly IP hubs. However, I am from the midwest, and I like it here. I have heard mixed things about Drake's reputation. Some have said that it is well recognized throughout the midwest, others have said it places well in Des Moines only. My parents recently moved to Des Moines and my step-dad is an attorney there. He claims that Drake is a great law school and job placement will not be an issue. However, I have heard stories saying otherwise. With the scholarship, Drake has moved way up on my list, but I am still cautious. For those of you who currently attend, do you feel that you are getting your money's worth in educational value? Also, WTF is up with the freezing cold. Every christmas the past 3 years I drive up to visit my parents and it's a blizzard and windchill of 0. How much of an issue is Des Moines weather on a regular basis? Do people leave their homes during the winter months or is there anything to do? On a happier note, I have noticed that Des Moines is beautiful in the late Spring - Summer with a lot of outdoor events and things to do in the city. Anyone want to add to this discussion? I realize there is only vague questions in this rambling

0L here, so I can't comment on employment from Drake other than what I've heard... Except that Drake places fine in DSM and surrounding smaller communities if you do well, but its pretty difficult to take a Drake JD further than that until you get some work experience.

As for Des Moines as a place to live, I LOVE it. I grew up in Des Moines, and can say that the seasons are gorgeous, and weather is typically pretty good. Yes, the summer does have some scorchers, so make sure you have air conditioning. The winter can be hit or miss... We get some wicked cold days, and some January days in the 50s. It's been said that if you don't like the weather in Iowa, then go inside, wait 10 minutes, and try again. It really is pretty temperamental. However, people in Iowa know how to handle the weather, so snow doesn't slow down the town (except for during drive times, it will take you a bit longer) and people still very much leave the house and do everything they would have done if it wasn't snowing/freezing.

Things to do in Des Moines are on par or better than other cities its size. If you like small cities, its perfect. For me, it's a little too small, and too close to home. I'll separate this into categories for you:

Drinking:DSM has a pretty good nightlife, and it gets better every year. The two parts of town I like most are Court Ave (which is downtown) and West Glen (which is in the affluent and pretty young West Des Moines.) Court Ave has a string of venues that range from the 900 seat People's where you can see all sorts of live music, to Hessen Haus and Royal Mile which are German and English themed respectively, to Liars Club where you get the hottest midwest hip hop DJs, big dance floor, bottle service, etc. Things are typically on a smaller scale, and a little slow to catch up with the new trends, but it's a fun place. West Glen has an awesome Dueling Piano bar that's always packed on the weekends, a comedy club, a couple trendy cocktail lounges, and an AWESOME new bar called Wellman's (there is another Wellman's near downtown which has been my favorite summer hang out for years.) Wellman's is cool because the inside is a big sports bar by day, and vibrant dancing/drinking establishment by night. They also have a patio on the main level AND a rooftop patio, so it's pretty awesome during the warmer months.

Shopping:Ok, it's not amazing. But it has everything you need. Jordan Creek Mall in West Des Moines is pretty new (I think it was built in 2004, but don't quote me on that.) The mall itself has about what you'd expect in it, except no super high end stores like Burberry, True Religion, etc. However, Dilliards department store carries all those brands if it's what you need, or you can take a 3 hour drive to either Minneapolis or Kansas City which both have the high end shopping. Jordan Creek grows every year, so it may be getting some of those places while you're in school. There is also a "town center" out there which has a ton of good restaurants and some bigger name stores like Costco, DSW Shoes, Best Buy, Old Navy, etc.

Aside from the mall scene, downtown and West Des Moines both have some pretty cool boutique shops, albeit they are local and not national boutiques. I enjoy wandering around the East Village area of downtown and stopping in the shops to see what's going on. The owners are always super nice and friendly, and they have a lot of cool stuff. My favorite is Raygun, which sells Iowa screenprinted shirts (and non-Iowa ones too). I'm currently wearing one of their shirts, which has an outline of the Des Moines skyline in the fashion of a graph that is rising, which says "Des Moines, Iowa: Let us exceed your already low expactations!" I find this to be a very true statement about Iowa... No one really expects much, but it always exceeds expectations.

Other Entertainment:There are so many other things to do, that I'll just highlight some of my favorites. *Gray's Lake has a great walking/running/biking trail that goes around it, and is really pretty during the March-Oct timeframe. You can also rent paddle boats and such, I believe, but I usually just use it for walking the dog and catching up with friends.*Downtown - Brenton Plaza is an outdoor ice skating rink that overlooks the Des Moines River. Its pretty fun to check out in the winter. Other downtown attractions include Simon Estes amphitheater, which is an outdoor amphitheater that overlooks the water where they have a lot of concerts during the summer, West Gateway which is a cool park with a bunch of art and is home to 80/35 Music Festival (with big name acts such as Flaming Lips, Roots, Public Enemy etc.) and the Des Moines Art Festival that happen each summer.*Summer festivals - A few neighborhoods have Friday festivals that happen every Friday in the summer. These have live music, food, beverages, and are just all around a GREAT time. Friday at the Fountain (West Des Moines), Clive After 5 (Clive) and FridayFest (Urbandale) are my favorites.*Iowa State Fair - 10 days every August. Best fair in the U.S., hands down. Awesome bands, tons of food, rides, and sculptures made out of butter. I've only missed one state fair since I was 5, and it's because I'm living in Seattle for this year... But you bet your ass I'll be there next August!*Sports - Sure, it's not pro level... But tickets are cheaper, and the fans and atmosphere are just as fun! We have the Iowa Cubs AAA baseball team, Iowa Chops and Des Moines Bucs hockey teams (The Bucs have Buck Beer Night once a weekend, tickets are $8-$12, and they play Fridays and Saturdays only. Amazingly fun), Iowa Barnstormers arena football (which is also pretty awesome, very fast paced and exciting), Iowa Energy basketball and the Des Moines Menace Soccer team. So, no big league teams, but still a lot of fun.*Performances/Music/etc. - Wells Fargo arena brings big name events like Billy Joel, Tim McGraw, the Eagles, etc. If there's an act you're dying to see that doesn't stop in Des Moines, Minneapolis, Kansas City, and Chicago are all driveable. There are also a handful of smaller venues to see comedians, musicals (we get pretty big ones, like Rent, Spring Awakening, Wicked, etc.), and smaller music groups.*Standard entertainment - 7 or 8 movie theaters, a lot of restaurants, good bike paths, a man-made lake with a good beach, plenty of health clubs, etc. It has everything you'd need/want in a city, just sometimes on a smaller scale!

All in all, I love Des Moines. I would not be in the least bit disappointed if I ended up living there after law school. Plenty to do, CHEAP cost of living, and really great schools. Let me know if you have any other questions, I'd be happy to answer!

TheGetUpKid wrote:Admitted with scholarship (renewable if in top third). I applied to schools all over the country, mostly IP hubs. However, I am from the midwest, and I like it here. I have heard mixed things about Drake's reputation. Some have said that it is well recognized throughout the midwest, others have said it places well in Des Moines only. My parents recently moved to Des Moines and my step-dad is an attorney there. He claims that Drake is a great law school and job placement will not be an issue. However, I have heard stories saying otherwise. With the scholarship, Drake has moved way up on my list, but I am still cautious. For those of you who currently attend, do you feel that you are getting your money's worth in educational value? Also, WTF is up with the freezing cold. Every christmas the past 3 years I drive up to visit my parents and it's a blizzard and windchill of 0. How much of an issue is Des Moines weather on a regular basis? Do people leave their homes during the winter months or is there anything to do? On a happier note, I have noticed that Des Moines is beautiful in the late Spring - Summer with a lot of outdoor events and things to do in the city. Anyone want to add to this discussion? I realize there is only vague questions in this rambling

I definitely feel like I am getting my money's worth. The cold, well it is Iowa lmao. It will be cold, and yes it will snow. And yes we leave our homes every single day and trudge into school lmao. If you are into college football the midwest is just a serious hotpan for it. Tons to do in the winter months. Law students go out every Thursday night for bar review, (local bar hopping and drink specials) even during winter. We also plan lots of events and that is besides the normal stuff to do in the city. Des Moines is like this really large town that thinks it is a city but it really isnt. Even during full board rush hour traffic I can get from one side of the city to another in 15 minutes. I love how well planned the freeways are. There are plenty of lanes and only deadlocked traffic if there is a truly horrendous wreck. There is plenty of places to shop and eat and just really neat place to live. I compare it to Atlanta and I hated living there.

If you like outdoor hiking, biking, boating then you'll love this city. We have a huge farmer's market and just tons of stuff to do.

evilxs wrote:Anyone coming to visit anytime soon? Id be happy to show you around.

I know you've probably posted this earlier in this thread, but remind me about yourself? I assum you're a Drake Law Student. Were you at the open house on the 22nd? I have some questions that I'd love to ask.

evilxs wrote:Anyone coming to visit anytime soon? Id be happy to show you around.

I know you've probably posted this earlier in this thread, but remind me about yourself? I assum you're a Drake Law Student. Were you at the open house on the 22nd? I have some questions that I'd love to ask.

I am a current student and on the 22nd I was home doing tons of homework lmao

I am taking any and all questions and I also give tours (not the canned variety - fun ones!). I'm here every school day

evilxs wrote:Anyone coming to visit anytime soon? Id be happy to show you around.

I know you've probably posted this earlier in this thread, but remind me about yourself? I assum you're a Drake Law Student. Were you at the open house on the 22nd? I have some questions that I'd love to ask.

I am a current student and on the 22nd I was home doing tons of homework lmao

I am taking any and all questions and I also give tours (not the canned variety - fun ones!). I'm here every school day

Drake is quickly rising in my list of potential law schools but I still have a few reservations. I'm trying to get as much info from current students and recent grads as I can.

Gosh... Where to begin? Do you feel like Drake is providing you a good quality education? Do you feel that your Drake education is providing you with solid opportunities outside of the school - in particular summer work/internships and employment prospects?

Quality: Absolutely. Several of my professors are graduates of Harvard and Yale. One of them is the 5th highest ranked attorney in her field of law. They don't fumble about, they know the law and they know it well. I haven't seen a question tossed their way they couldn't handle. I especially appreciate that they don't have any newbie faculty teaching 1L's, and one of our professors is actually a local judge on the court of appeals.

Opportunities: This is the capitol. There is a ton of opportunities locally. There is only 2 law schools in this entire state and we're the only one in the capitol all year long. Getting jobs is so much easier for that. I have a few offers and several more interviews planned. I am a 1L. Several of us have paid offers, for those that don't you can work unpaid and you will definitely have an internship. If someone doesn't have a job over the summer then they didn't try. We're not in the economic slump the rest of the country is in. If you want want specifics feel free to ask. I'm a real person and I wont feed you bullshit. I'm not some crazy awesome number like top 10 of my class either. Real normal people get jobs here. Something else cool, 2Ls were extremely helpful hooking us up with jobs.